Chapter 29
ROSALIE
44%
The drive back was suffocating. Damien’s hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly that I half–expected it to snap under the pressure. His jaw was clenched, his eyes glued to the road, his silence more threatening than words could ever be. My stomach churned as the tension in the car pressed against me, heavier with each passing second.
I kept my hands folded tightly in my lap, staring out the window to avoid his glare, though it wasn’t even directed at me yet. My mind raced, replaying everything that had just happened–the shouting, the humiliation, the fear. But what terrified me more was the way Damien had looked at Liam before throwing that punch.
Now, that same anger radiated from him, thick and unrelenting, filling the small space of the car. I dared a glance in his direction, but his expression made me regret it instantly. His jaw ticked with barely restrained fury, and his knuckles turned white against the steering wheel.
“Damien,” I whispered, my voice trembling.
“Don’t,” he snapped, his tone cold and final.
I flinched, sinking back into my seat. My heart pounded harder, and I bit down on my lip to keep from saying something that might make it worse. But I couldn’t stop the fear creeping in. I’d seen Damien angry before, but this… this was something else entirely.
The car screeched to a halt in front of the house. Damien didn’t wait for me to get out. He stormed around to my side, yanked the door open, and grabbed my arm, pulling me out of the car with such force that I stumbled.
“Damien, what are you-
“Inside. Now,” he barked, his grip firm as he dragged me toward the front door.
I struggled to keep up with his pace, my heart hammering in my chest. “You’re hurting me, I protested, trying to wriggle free, but he didn’t loosen his hold.
He pushed the door open and hauled me inside. The house was dark and eerily quiet, the air thick with tension. Before I could catch my breath, he was already dragging me up the stairs toward our bedroom.
“Damien, stop!” I exclaimed, panic lacing my voice. “What is wrong with you?”
He didn’t answer. He didn’t even look at me.
The moment we reached the bedroom, he shoved the door open and pulled me inside before slamming it shut behind him. The sound echoed in the room, and I flinched again, my back pressing against the wall as I stared at him.
“Why the hell couldn’t you just stay inside?” he exploded, his voice loud and sharp, cutting through the silence like a knife.
I blinked, completely taken aback. “What?”
“You heard me,” he snarled, pacing the room like a caged animal. “Why couldn’t you just stay inside? You had one job, Rosalie–stay inside and stay out of trouble.”
I stared at him, my confusion growing by the second. “You’re seriously yelling at me right now? After what just happened?”
“Yes, I am!” he shot back, his eyes blazing. “Do you even realize how close you came to-” He stopped himself, running a hand through his hair in frustration.
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xe
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Dreamo–Road Romance…
Open
14:26 Tue, 18 Feb
Chagner 29
30 what. Dattien To being harassed by your cousin?” My voice rose, matching his. “I didn’t ask for that! I didn’t do anything to deserve it
“That’s not the point!” he roared, his anger boiling over. “You know what Liam is like. You know how he acts, and yet your walked out there and stayed out for so long. What the hell were you waiting for, Rosalie? Him?”
My jaw dropped, and fury bubbled up inside me. “Are you serious right now? You’re blaming me for this? I walked out because I needed air, Damien! Because your wonderful family was in there mocking me and my family, and I couldn’t take it anymore! Or did you not notice since you were too busy letting them humiliate me?”
“Humiliating you?” Damien thundered, his voice echoing with fury.
“Yes! They insulted me and my family–called me plain, worthless, and said I was practically sold to you! How did you expect me to just sit there and endure all those hateful comments?” I demanded, tears threatening to spill down my cheeks.
“Yes, you were sold to me, Rosalie!” Damien shot back, his voice sharp and cutting. “Your father cares about nothing but his company. That’s why he and your sister arranged this alliance and handed you over to me. If I were you, I wouldn’t defend your family so much–you have no idea how they really see you.”
His words were cold, piercing me like a dagger.
“Damien. how can you say this to me?” My voice broke as I stared at him. “Your family insulted me. I walked out for my own peace, and Liam tried to harass me, yet somehow, I’m the bad one?”
His eyes narrowed, his voice low and biting. “If you hadn’t walked out, then Liam wouldn’t have had the chance to touch you. This wouldn’t have happened. And now, thanks to you, my entire family hates you even more than they already did.”
“I don’t give two fucks about what your family thinks of me!” I shouted, my voice trembling with rage. “Do you hear yourself
You’re defending them–defending him–when they’re the ones who were out of line. Not me!”
“You don’t get it,” he snapped. “You never do. All you had to do was keep your head down and stay inside, but no. You just had to make everything worse.”
“Worse?” I repeated, my voice shaking. The only thing that made it worse was you not standing up for me in the first place! Do you have any idea how humiliating it was to sit there and listen to them tear me apart while you did nothing?”
“I was handling the barked, stepping closer.
“Handling it?” I laughed bitterly, though there was no humor in the sound. “You call sitting there in silence handling it? If you cared about me at all, you wouldn’t have let them say those things. But no, you just sat there like a coward.”
His expression darkened, his anger morphing into something far more dangerous. “Watch your mouth,” he warned, his voice low and threatening
“Why? Are you going to defend your family again!” I snapped. “Go ahead, Damien. Tell me how this is all my fault. Blame me for everything, like you always do
“You don’t know when to stop, do you?” he hissed, his tone deadly.
“And you don’t know how to take responsibility for anything!” I shot back, my emotions spiraling out of control. “You’re so busy protecting your precious reputation that you can’t even see what’s right in front of you.”
“No, Damien interrupted, my voice breaking “Your cousin was right about one thing.”
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Drearno–Road Romance
Open
14:26 Tue, 18 Feb
Chapter 29
His eyes narrowed dangerously. “And what’s that?”
I took a shaky breath, the words spilling out before I could stop them. “I deserve better. You will never be the man I need you to be”
The moment the words left my mouth, I knew I’d crossed a line. Damien’s entire demeanor shifted, his face contorting with a rage so intense it made my blood ΠΙΠ cold
Before I could react, his hand shot out, gripping me by the throat. His hold wasn’t tight enough to hurt, but the threat was clear.
“Say that again,” he growled, his voice low and menacing.
My heart pounded in my chest as fear took hold of me. I stared into his eyes, which were filled with a before, and for the first time, I realized just how far I’d pushed him.
a fury I’d never seen
E
